Review of Sadgati (1981) by Murdoch M — 23 Jan 2011

When you hear of the film Deliverance, what do you think of? Do you think of a classic film? Or do you think of a rather pugnacious and unconvincing portrayal of what would happen should you get lost in the Georgian backwoods? For me, the later seems like a much more precise description of the film, whose many implausibility's and tepid acting really drag it down into the depths of mediocrity. As the film progresses along its rather mundane plot, we care less and less for the character's, and end up simply jaded by Burt Reynolds lack-lustre attempts at convincing acting.

As I have already stated, the films plot is rather mundane when you watch it, however, when the story is all mapped out, it sounds like it could be very interesting. When four city-slickers go into the Georgian backwoods on a canoeing trip they are immediately regarded untrustingly by the locals and when the four men get lost, the locals take delight in tormenting and subsequently physically abusing them in their depraved ways. Although the story is simple, there is something there that could have been turned into a very interesting film. Yet as the plot progresses many implausibility's cause the film to fail on a number of levels.

Firstly, the acting is mostly acceptable; John Voight gives a convincing performance and manages to be the only constantly convincing variable in the film. Burt Reynolds on the other hand, is quite simply abysmal. His constant over-acting drags the film down, and doesn't let go. Not only is the acting rather poor, but the screenplay is one of the worst I have been subjected to in quite a long time. The scene that particularly astounded me was when Voight climbs up a vertical and wet cliff face at night after being swept through rapids, with no ropes and often using only one hand. Am I the only person who finds this completely implausible and absurd?

Secondly, after the 'squeal like a pig' scene, why do none of Ned Beatty's compatriots offer him any moral support? For Christ sake the man has just been raped and they don't even offer him a word of consolation! This is poor scriptwriting at its worst, surely any normal person would have attempt to console their friend but no, they barely say a single word to him. Rant over. The film does have some adequate aspects, the cinematography isn't groundbreaking but the film is competently directed, using some very good camera angles to catch the better scenes when the four men are navigating the rapids.

Overall, Deliverance is an absurd film that has no reason to have been remembered from 1972. It sports poor acting, poor screenwriting and is overly long, with very few redeeming factors, I simply cannot see why it has been remembered as a classic.

4/10.